[DELETED] VentrAlarm: Post-Operative Monitoring of Ventral Hernia Repairs

Program:

Biomedical Engineering

Project Description:

A ventral hernia (VH) is a rupture in the anterior abdominal wall that causes the viscera to extrude out from the abdominal cavity. Over 350,000 ventral hernia repairs (VHRs) are performed each year in the United States; however, 14-40% of VHs recur within 10-12 years following surgery. Current methods of hernia diagnosis have low sensitivity and require in-person visits. Recurrences often remain undetected until the hernia becomes large in size. Additionally, there exists no method of long-term assessment of a repaired hernia, and patients are often unaware of the physical integrity of their repair during the recovery process. Our solution aims to improve postoperative VHR monitoring with implantable technology that tracks the motion of the abdominal wall. This system has the potential to 1) detect recurrences in their early stages, and 2) reduce recurrence rates by warning patients when their physical motions place excessive tension on the midline.

Team Members

Project Mentors, Sponsors, and Partners

  • Dr. Hooman Soltanian

Course Faculty

Project Links

Additional Project Information

Project Photo

Project Photo Caption:

With VentrAlarm technology, a small, inert system would be implanted during ventral hernia surgery. An external sensor is then placed on the skin via adhesive and allows users to monitor the state of their repair in real time. This allows for detection of physical overexertion and early stages of recurrence.

Project Video